Gemotions

Elias sat in his car, the engine idling. The radio was blaring a commercial for a new type of automatic dog feeder. The advertisement was a punch to the gut. He'd lost out on the patent for his own design, and the disappointment settled in his bones.

He gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He couldn’t bear the thought of going home, of facing the reality of his failure. The familiar streets blurred into a meaningless stream of light and shadow.

He switched off the engine, the sudden silence adding to the weight on his chest. He slumped in his seat. He felt as though he could remain there forever, locked in a state of suspended inertia.